Press for use in bookbinding and the like

ABSTRACT

A press apparatus particularly useful in small scale bookbinding operations is shown. Two compression members are mounted for sliding motion in a base member, one permitting wide adjustment and the other movable a small amount for the compression. A handle is affixed to the first member to move it in and out with respect to the other to adjust for book thickness. The handle also can transmit force through a rod to a cam on the other plate when pressed down thus compressing the book after the plates are brought together.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,842,731 Anderson Oct. 22, 1974 [54]PRESS FOR USE IN BOOKBINDING AN 2,644,965 7/1953 Kitcat 100/264 THE LIKEr 3,190,216 6/1965 Keller 100/289 [75] Inventor: Clarence L. Anderson,Penfield, Primary ExaminebBmy l Wilhite Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenyon& Kenyon Reilly [73] Assignee: Magnamatrix Corporation, Carr & ChapinRochester, NY. 22 Filed: Jan. 5, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT A press apparatuspart1cularly useful in small scale 1 pp Flo-13211546 bookbindingoperations is shown. Two compression members are mounted for slidingmotion in a base [52 us. (:1. 100/264, 100/291 member, one Permittingwide adjustment and the [51 Int. Cl B30b 7/00 othefimovable a smallamount for the compression A 58 Field of Search 100/291, 263 264 handleis affixed -fi member move it in and out withrespect to the other toadjust for book thick- 56] References Cited ness. The handle also cantransmit force through a rod to a cam on the other plate when presseddown thus UNITED STATES PATENTS compressing the book after the platesare brought to- 535,268 3/1895 Walder 100/264 gether. 1,197,231 9/1916Petrik 100/264 1,226,900 5/1917 McLean .1 100/264 3 Clalms, l DrawmgFigure l1 0/ 59- u Q 2 29 [a l a 43 RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to bookbinding in general and moreparticularly to press apparatus useful in clamping a book bound usingsemi-automatic bookbinding apparatus to firmly affix the cover to thebook.

In the above-mentioned application, I have described a semi-automaticbookbinding apparatus useful in small scale binding operations. In onemode of use of that apparatus a book with a one piece cover may be made.The final portion of the operation of making such a book is to place thepages and cover in a clamp of a pressing mechanism to firmly affix thecover to the book. The binder of the above-referenced application isdesigned for use in applications where, formerly, methods of bindingsuch as spiral binding, stapling, and

below, this allows simple adjustment for book thick ness. A frontcompression plate 31 having a compression surface 33 and sides 35 isplaced between vertical slots 21. Each of sides 35 has a slot 37thereinmaking an angle of about 30 with the vertical slots 21. A rod 39is passed through the slots 21 and 37.

A lever arm 41 is located on each side of the member 11. At one end ithas a hold 43 which is slid over rod 29. Each end of the rod then hasplaced upon it a retaining ring 45 or other similar device to keep itfrom slipping out. At the other end of arms 41 is a slot 47 which slipsover rod 39. Rod 39 is retained in a manner similar to rod 29. A handle44 is mounted between the ends of arms 41 extending out from member 11.For example, this may be a solid rod 44 with threaded ends 51 projectingtherefrom and retained by nuts 53. Or it may be a wooden rod with woodscrews 59 holding it punched hole binding were used. Thus the clampingdevice for use with the binder must be simple and easy to operate. Inaddition, it should be able to handle-a variety of book sizes withoutrequiring time-consuming adjustment, since, in a small scale operationas that in which the binder is intended to be used, many different jobsmay be done in a single day, each consisting of a relatively smallnumber of copies and excessive set-up time would significantly cut downon efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The press of the present invention provides afast and efficient means of firmly pressing the cover on the book in thelast step of the binding process. The cover and pages to be clamped areplaced within a U-shaped structure comprising a bottom plate and twoside plates between a front and a rear compression plate mounted betweenthe sides of the U-shaped structure. A handle is operable on the twoplates to permit bringing them together by pulling forward and then,through a camming action, compressing the book when the handle is pusheddownward.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single FIGURE is a perspective viewof the preferred embodiment of the clamp of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The FIGURE shows aperspective view of the clamping mechanism. A U-shaped structure 11 isformed to have a Hat bottom section 13 and sides 15 and 17. This may bedone by bending sheet metal of a proper gage or in any other convenientfashion. The distance be tween sides 15 and 17 must be greater than theheight of the largest size book which it is desired to bind. Each ofsides 15 and 17 has cut in it a horizontal slot 19 and a vertical slot21. Between the slots 19 is a rear compression plate 23 having acompressing surface 25 and sides 27. Each of sides 27 has a hole drilledtherein to match with the location of slots 19. A rod 29 is passedthrough the slots and hole to permit plate 23 to slide from one end ofslots ,19 to the other. As will be seen to arms 41 as shown on the otherend.

In operation, the book to be compressed is placed between surfaces 25and 33 with its back against bottom plate 13. Handle 49 is pulled in thedirection of arrow to bring plate 23 toward plate 31. When the limit offorward travel is reached, the book will be reasonably firmly heldbetween the surfaces 25 and 33. The handle is then pressed down. Becauseof the angle of slots 37, this will cause plate 31 to press against thebook while plate 23 is held fixed with respect thereto causing a firmclamping action. The downward motion will also have an outward componentand thus the plate 23 will not move backward. The leverage of the arms41 permits sufficient compression to be applied with minimum effortmaking the device operable by almost anyone.

Thus a simple compressing device for clamping books which have beenbound using a semi-automatic bookbinder has been shown. Although aspecific embodiment has been shown and described, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that various modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Press apparatus comprising:

a. a horizontal base member;

b. a first vertical compression member mounted on said base forextensive bi-directional sliding motion along a first axis; I

c. a second vertical compression member parallel to said first memberand mounted on said base for limited bi-directional sliding motion alongsaid axis between a first and a second position, said second memberhaving a slanted camming surface whereby application of a force to thesurface along a line normal to the plane of the base plate will causesaid second member to move toward said first member;

. means movable between a first and a second vertical position, saidmeans positioned to contact said camming surface so that downward motionof said means will cause said second member to move toward said firstmember;

e. means including a handle parallel to said first and second memberscoupled to said first member so that movement of said last mentionedmeans along said first axis will move said first member therewith, saidlast mentioned means also being slideably coupled to said movable meansfor motion along said axis but in such a manner as to transmit 3 t 4 aforce along said line normal when the handle is slot forming saidcamming surface; pushed down, whereby the article to be pressed d. saidmovable means comprise a first rod passed may be placed between saidfirst and second memthrough the angled slots of said second member bers,said second member moved to loosely grip and the vertical slots of saidbase member;

the article between said first and second members 5 e. said meansincluding a handle comprises first and and said handle pressed down topush said second second lever arms each having a hole at one end, membertoward said first member thereby coman elongated horizontal slot in thecenter portion pressing the article. and the handle connecting the otherends, said first 2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein: rodextending through said horizontal slots;

a. said horizontal base member has two vertical sides 0 f. said leverarms are coupled to said first member each having an elongatedhorizontal slot at one end through a second rod passing through theholes in and a vertical slot at the other end; one end of said arms, thehorizontal slots in said b. said first member comprises a verticalcompression base and the holes in said first member; and further surfacehaving a vertical sliding surface on each including: end, each slidingsurface having a hole therein g. retaining means on the ends of each ofsaid first aligned with said horizontal slot; and second rods.

c. said second member comprises a vertical compres- 3. The inventionaccording to claim 2 wherein each sion surface having a vertical slidingsurface on of said first and second base members are formed of a eachend, each sliding surface containing an angled single piece of sheetmetal. slot aligned with a portion of said vertical slots, said

1. Press apparatus comprising: a. a horizontal base member; b. a firstvertical compression member mounted on said base for extensivebi-directional sliding motion along a first axis; c. a second verticalcompression member parallel to said first member and mounted on saidbase for limited bi-directional sliding motion along said axis between afirst and a second position, said second member having a slanted cammingsurface whereby application of a force to the surface along a linenormal to the plane of the base plate will cause said second member tomove toward said first member; d. means movable between a first and asecond vertical position, said means positioned to contact said cammingsurface so that downward motion of said means will cause said secondmember to move toward said first member; e. means including a handleparallel to said first and second members coupled to said first memberso that movement of said last mentioned means along said first axis willmove said first member therewith, said last mentioned means also beingslideably coupled to said movable means for motion along said axis butin such a manner as to transmit a force along said line normal when thehandle is pushed down, whereby the article to be pressed may be placedbetween said first and second members, said second member moved toloosely grip the article between said first and second members and saidhandle pressed down to push said second member toward said first memberthereby compressing the article.
 2. The invention according to claim 1wherein: a. said horizontal base member has two vertical sides eachhaving an elongated horizontal slot at one end and a vertical slot atthe other end; b. said first member comprises a vertical compressionsurface having a vertical sliding surface on each end, each slidingsurface having a hole therein aligned with said horizontal slot; c. saidsecond member comprises a vertical compression surface having a verticalsliding surface on each end, each sliding surface containing an angledslot aligned with a portion of said vertical slots, said slot formingsaid camming surface; d. said movable means comprise a first rod passedthrough the angled slots of said second member and the vertical slots ofsaid base member; e. said means including a handle comprises first andsecond lever arms each having a hole at one end, an elongated horizontalslot in the center portion and the handle connecting the other ends,said first rod extending through said horizontal slots; f. said leverarms are coupled to said first member through a second rod passingthrough the holes in one end of said arms, the horizontal slots in saidbase and the holes in said first member; and further including: g.retaining means on the ends of each of said first and second rods. 3.The invention according to claim 2 wherein each of said first and secondbase members are formed of a single piece of sheet metal.